I Know, I Know!

"Why does he seem a little pleased with himself?"

Shinji looked confused.

From Sasuke's expression, he seemed to genuinely believe he had subdued the rampaging Nine-Tails.

That left Shinji utterly perplexed.

He remembered that although Sasuke had been scared stiff at the time, he hadn't passed out. By rights, he should have sensed someone behind him.

"Forget it."

Shinji shook his head and stopped dwelling on it.

Whatever the case, the misunderstanding had already taken hold. Sasuke had drawn everyone's attention, so even if Shinji did something out of line now, it probably wouldn't attract much notice from the village higher-ups.

After all, nothing was more noteworthy than someone awakening the Sharingan at seven and subduing the rampaging Nine-Tails.

Haku asked again, "Shinji, are you close with Sasuke Uchiha?"

Shinji shook his head.

Before the massacre.

Sasuke wasn't just the clan leader's second son; he was also cherished by Shisui Uchiha, the strongest member of the clan. He'd been born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

The original Shinji had been an ordinary Uchiha. His father had died in battle during the Third Shinobi World War, and his mother had passed away from illness when he was two or three.

So although they were both members of the Uchiha Clan, they hadn't interacted much.

Seeing Shinji lost in thought, Haku mistakenly assumed he envied Sasuke for awakening the Sharingan at such a young age. Haku quickly tried to comfort him. "Shinji, I believe that if you keep working hard, you'll awaken the Sharingan too!"

Shinji paused. "I hope so!"

"Shinji! Shinji!"

A voice called from nearby.

Shinji's head started to ache as soon as he heard it. He looked over and saw Shion waving at him from a distance.

Before long, Shion slipped away from her guards, ran over to Shinji, and squeezed in beside him.

Shinji shifted closer to Haku and said, "You'd better stay away from me. Otherwise, I'll bring you bad luck!"

Shion covered her mouth and giggled.

Shinji and Haku stared at her, baffled. They had no idea why she was giggling.

Shion waved a hand. "Don't worry, I often bring bad luck to the people around me too! That means we're destined to become friends!"

"So you think two negatives make a positive?"

Shinji was speechless and could only grumble to himself.

Then he discreetly watched Shion and had the 'Lamp' check whether she was tainted.

The result put him at ease.

Shion wasn't tainted.

Apparently, sealing away memories of demons temporarily suppressed the taint as well.

Shion suddenly pointed at Sasuke across from them. "Who's that guy? Why is everyone talking about him?"

When Shinji didn't seem inclined to answer, Haku explained, "He's Shinji's clanmate, Sasuke Uchiha. He was the one who subdued the Nine-Tails on the night it went on a rampage."

Shion asked, "Is he strong?"

Haku glanced at Shinji with some concern. When Shinji's expression remained unchanged, Haku carefully chose his words. "He's very strong. There's probably no one at the Ninja Academy who can beat him."

Shion tilted her head and studied Shinji. "Why do I think you're much stronger than him?"

Shinji's heart skipped a beat. "Shion's mental strength is too great. If I stay this close to her, my genjutsu probably won't hold for long. I should keep my distance from her in the future."

Nearby, Haku saw that Shion had cheered Shinji up with just one sentence and thought, "Girls really are better at comforting people."

There was nothing about this Chunin Ninja Exams that particularly interested Shinji.

The various villages hadn't really come for the exams, so although the afternoon's matches were exciting to ordinary spectators, Shinji found them rather dull.

The only highlight was probably Kabuto Yakushi's performance.

"He's taking part in one Chunin exam after another, most likely to help Orochimaru find promising vessels."

Shinji sighed to himself, his attention already elsewhere.

After a day to recover, he had let go of much of his stress, and his mood had lifted.

Gradually, he began to see things more clearly.

The situation looked fraught with danger, but as long as he grew strong enough, he could overcome any crisis.

So rather than worry himself sick and hold back, he might as well be bold and go for it.

After the Chunin Ninja Exams ended, Shinji said goodbye to Haku, ditched Shion, and went alone to the Ninja Academy.

In the office, he found Iruka still dealing with paperwork. "Teacher Iruka."

Iruka asked, "Shinji, didn't you go watch the Chunin exams?"

"They just ended."

"Is that so?" Iruka glanced out the window, then asked, "Why aren't you going home? What brings you to the Academy?"

Shinji got straight to the point. "Teacher Iruka, I want to learn some ninjutsu."

Iruka looked surprised. "Learn ninjutsu?"

Shinji nodded. "Yes. I want to learn the 'Shadow Clone Technique' and our Uchiha Clan's 'Great Fire Annihilation.'"

His upcoming plan required the 'Shadow Clone Technique,' but asking to learn only that would seem strange, so he added a Fire Release technique that he didn't really need.

Iruka sighed softly.

Seeing this, Shinji prepared to deliver the speech he'd rehearsed.

But before Shinji could speak, Iruka patted him on the shoulder. "I know, I know!"

"!?"

Iruka looked at Shinji and said earnestly, "Sasuke Uchiha may be younger than you, but his situation is different from an ordinary child's. He... he's the most talented ninja I've ever met. Shinji, you're your own person. Don't keep comparing yourself to him."

"I..."

Shinji opened his mouth, ready to say something.

Iruka stopped him from explaining. "You don't have to explain. Ever since we went to the Land of Cats to sign a contract with a Ninja Cat, I've known you're a determined child. I know I can't talk you out of it."

Shinji gave up completely.

Iruka thought for a moment, then said, "The 'Shadow Clone Technique' and 'Great Fire Annihilation' are both very advanced techniques, and I can't teach you either one. But I can submit a request to Lord Hokage for you!"

Shinji bowed sincerely. "Thank you, Teacher Iruka."

Iruka waved him off. "Go on, head home."

Shinji turned to leave, but out of the corner of his eye, he noticed fruit baskets piled on Mizuki's desk across from Iruka's. He asked, "Teacher Iruka, what are these?"

Iruka explained casually, "Oh, on the night the Nine-Tails went on a rampage, someone tried to attack Karin. Mizuki came across them and was injured while protecting her. He's still in the hospital. These fruit baskets were sent by the teachers who were busy with the Chunin exams today and couldn't visit him. I'll take them to the hospital later."

"Were Mizuki and Karin connected to the attack on Naruto that night?"

Shinji's expression shifted, but he said nothing more and left the office calmly.